Clazziquai Project - 라푼젤

Another calming song comes from this Korean artist, whom I’ve liked since I was a teenager and who are still going. Both the singers for this group have soothing and naturally sonically-pleasing voices, and in this one Alex takes more of the lead. A significant amount of this song is in English, but for the parts that aren’t the video has English subtitles!

Clazziquai Project - 라푼젤 [Rap’unjel - Rapunzel]:

Sara Tavares - Di Alma

I found this Portuguese artist through YouTube surfing for music. Her music sounds so calm & content, her voice so relaxed, as to seem enlightened. It’s a rhythm I’m not used to, but I could use some variety in my listening. The standout features of her music to me are her jazzy voice and the strong African influence in the instrumentals. This isn’t a coincidence, since this song is in the creole language spoken in the African country of Cape Verde. This artist sang the Portugal version of “God Help the Outcasts” (a song I’ve posted before) in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Sara Tavares - Di Alma [Your Soul]:

Enrique Iglesias feat. Descemer Bueno & Gente de Zona - Bailando

The music video for this song won me over because the dancing in it was so cool to watch. The part with the soccer balls is so dope!
Note: This is the official MV with HD!

Enrique Iglesias feat. Descemer Bueno & Gente de Zona - Bailando [Dancing]:

Melanie Martinez - Pity Party

My friend sent me this song shortly after it was released, and although I’d heard songs by this artist before I didn’t like her previous songs as much as this one. It seems people know my taste, because a second friend sent me this song not long after the first friend did.
Note: HD listening is available!

Melanie Martinez - Pity Party:

James Horner - Real or Imagined?

Another world-renowned talent lost too soon… This famous composer died in a plane crash exactly 2 weeks ago. I’ve already posted a lot of songs that he composed for movie soundtracks ranging from Casper to The Land Before Time to Mighty Joe Young to Avatar to An American Tail: Fievel Goes West. I thought this time I should post a piece from a soundtrack I haven’t used before but have watched the movie of, so I went with this one from A Beautiful Mind. (Coincidentally, the man on whom the biographical movie is based died in a car crash almost exactly month before James Horner did.) R.I.P. James Horner AND John Nash.
Note: This video has HD and a pretty visualization!

James Horner - Real or Imagined?:

Origa - Rise

This is one of this artist’s most famous songs, as it was an opening theme of the anime series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. My friend wanted to perform this song in the karaoke room at the anime convention she and I recently attended, but I don’t know the lyrics well enough or read Russian fast enough to join her, so it didn’t happen. Still, it’s a beautiful song! It’s such a shame a singer with this beautiful a voice was lost so soon.
Note: Hi-def quality available!

Origa - Rise:

Eyedea - Read Wiped in Blue

Here’s a “patriotic” hip hop song. This song narrates the emcee growing up in a dysfunctional household, missing his deceased mother and resenting his abusive father. However, the deeper interpretation is that the description of a household is a metaphor for a country. I suspect the mother is nature (i.e. Mother Earth), and the father is clearly the United States. It calls out the U.S.’s long and enduring history of violence by making reference to the nation’s origins based in genocide and slavery, its tradition of imperialism, and its addiction to enabling continued acts of violence at home and abroad, which he claims will lead to its downfall. Happy 4th of July!
Note: Found it in HD!

Eyedea - Read Wiped in Blue:

Delta Rae - All Good People

This (mostly) a cappella song was written in the wake of the events of the past couple years wherein story and story of unarmed black Americans being killed by police and not being done justice by “the system” dominated the news media and public consciousness. I appreciate this song all the more given that this artist is a South-based group of white members. This song was released 2 weeks ago, the day after the racism-motivated shooting at a black church in Charleston, South Carolina, and the lyrics make reference to the death of Eric Garner, who was choked to death by the police while telling them he couldn’t breathe. Like the first song I posted by them, there’s a Southern gospel sound to this one, and since its message is in part related to an event at a black church that suits the theme well. (I started liking this artist because of their Southern gothic aesthetic, but since then I’ve come to appreciate them more upon learning of their investment in social issues and incorporation of it into their art.)
Note: Listening in HD is recommended!

Delta Rae - All Good People:

Frank Sinatra - Live Until I Die

Of course, I’ve known of this famous artist for as long as I can remember, but I heard this particular song on the Todd Glass Podcast recently and especially liked it. I never really felt compelled to post his music before this song. I like the meaning, and it’s catchy!
Note: It’s old, but someone kindly uploaded it in HD!

Frank Sinatra - Live Until I Die:

Tasha Reid - She (…Could Never Be Me)

This artist can both sing AND rap! I was accustomed to her first as an emcee, so I was surprised to hear how well she can sing. This song isn’t especially inspired, but it reminds me of late 90s/early 200s R&B like TLC, which I like.

Tasha Reid A.K.A. 윤미래 - She (…Could Never Be Me):

Adam Joseph feat. Noel G - Flow with My Soul

Douuuuude, I wanted to post this song aaaaaaages ago, but I couldn’t find it in decent enough quality. Don't let the skinny fey white boy image deceive you—this artist has an nice R&B voice with a range I’m envious of. I especially like his low register, which he seems to navigate with ease, but in the handful of songs I’ve heard by him he doesn’t use it that much. This song you at least get to hear it a little bit. And thus endeth Pride Month! Happy Pride!

Adam Joseph feat. Noel G - Flow with My Soul:

Baby Dee - Look What the Wind Blew in

Oddly enough, what stood out to me about this artist is that her songs have titles I like. They’re unconventional without being total nonsense, and have something poetic about them. They paint a picture in your mind, just like the sound of the song itself.

Baby Dee - Look What the Wind Blew in:

Chris Colfer - I Want to Hold Your Hand

This artist’s unique voice gets me every time. Although he was teased and bullied for it when he was in high school, his voice that has somehow stayed heavenly into adulthood is a gift. On the show Glee, he recorded this cover of a Beatles song that is frequently ranked among the best covers featured in the series. The show reappropriated the lyrics to be about the singing character’s relationship with his ill father, effectively igniting the tear ducts of many a viewer.
Note: Here’s the song with HD!

Chris Colfer - I Want to Hold Your Hand:



Here’s the part from the show that featured the song:

Uh Huh Her - Nuthin Without Your Love

This artist has a lot of music that’s TOO chill for me, but the occasional song by them catches my ear. This one I feel starts out slow, but the cool factor of this song is upped once the chorus comes in. I don’t know why! Somehow it goes from being pretty lackluster to being earwormy for me.
Note: Once again, I bring you an HD upload!

Uh Huh Her - Nuthin Without Your Love:

Patrick Wolf - The Libertine (Acoustic Version)

I was listening to this artist’s discography while I worked, and while much of it was nice-sounding it was mostly background noise. Then THIS song came on and that violin completely distracted me from anything I was doing. I didn’t realize it was one of this artist’s singles, but I approve of the choice of using that song to promote the acoustic album Sun☽ark and Riverlight because it was definitely the standout track for me. Both versions of this song are great, but I went with this one because the violin is more prominent.
Note: HD qualityyyyyyy!

Patrick Wolf - The Libertine (Acoustic Version):

Michelle Chamuel - Money

This artist was the 2nd-place contestant of one of the seasons of The Voice that I actually watched, and she finally came out with her own solo album following her success on the show! Sounds like somebody’s had some dating troubles… I appreciated this song’s somewhat original take on the well-tread topic of navigating relationship issues, but wasn’t that taken in by the overall sound of the track UNTIL near the end when she belts it out, which is what I liked about her when she was competing on The Voice.
Note: I found an HD upload!

Michelle Chamuel - Money:

Years & Years - King

At last, at last! A while ago a friend sent me music by this artist, and although I instantly was into the lead singer’s voice I couldn’t get that into the melodies of their songs. Since then, I searched intermittently for a song by them that caught my attention, and with the trio’s new hit single I think I’ve found it. Finally the singer’s voice is utilized in a song whose catchiness suits it!
Note: HD listening is available!

Years & Years - King:

Jolin Tsai - 不一樣又怎樣

This Taiwanese pop star seems to have taken it upon herself to become a champion and advocate of queer rights as of late. I used to not pay her music much mind because I wasn’t crazy about her singing, but after seeing a few of her bonkers music videos I got hooked. This song’s video isn’t quite so off-the-wall, and is actually going for tear-jerking, so get your tissues ready if you’re the crying type. Hospital visitation rights is an unresolved issue for many same-sex couples all over the world, but this music video is supposed to be telling the story of a specific, real couple that dealt with it. You’re all right, Jolin. You’re all right.
Note: You can listen in HD!

Jolin Tsai A.K.A. 蔡依林 - 不一樣又怎樣 [Bu Yi Yang You Zen Yang - Different, So What?]:

Here’s the official music video:

The Irrepressibles - Two Men in Love

At first I was opposed to posting this song because it seemed a little too on-the-nose for my Pride Month theme (did you notice?), but after listening to a bunch of this artist’s work, I eventually decided it has to be this song after all—even in a sea of lovely and creative music by this talented cabaret collective, this is still the most beautiful and varied song I’ve heard by them, IMO, because it is comprised of both the ethereal side and the dramatic, intense side. At first the lead singer sounded remarkably like Scott Matthew to me, then as the pace picked up he sounded more like Antony Hegarty. His voice also sounds GORGEOUS. I got chills, yo. I only discovered the group a few days ago, but I can tell I’m going to have to go through their extensive backlog of work because I kind of can’t get enough.
Note: If you want chills too, HD listening recommended!

 The Irrepressibles - Two Men in Love:

Sick of Sarah - Giving Up

I was in search of music by female artists when I came across a recommendation for this artist on a website. This band is not only female-fronted, it’s all-female, so that’s pretty cool! I listened to a bunch of their singles and liked this one especially because the singer does something kinda interesting with her voice: that yodeling effect.
Note: I found it in HD!

Sick of Sarah - Giving Up: